How to Play Backgammon

What is backgammon?

Backgammon is a race for two players. Each has 15 checkers; the aim is to bring them all into your own home board and then bear them off. The dice decide how far you move; you decide which checker to move — that is where the skill lives.

This page describes the backgammon played here. It is standard Turkish backgammon, and every rule below is what the game engine actually enforces.

The board and direction

There are 24 points. The two players move in opposite directions: each travels from their own starting side toward their own home (the last six points). You cannot bear off until every one of your checkers is home. The opening position is the same every game and is set up for you.

Who starts?

Both players roll one die and the higher roll starts. Here that happens on screen by itself — press “Roll”.

Dice and moves

On your turn you roll two dice and play each die as a separate move. With a 3 and a 5 you may move one checker 3 and another 5, or the same checker 3 then 5 (eight in total) — but only if the intermediate point is open.

Doubles give you four moves. Roll 4-4 and you move four steps of four.

If you have no legal move your turn passes. If you can play only one of the dice, you must play it.

Blocked points

You cannot land on a point holding two or more of your opponent's checkers — it is blocked. Your own points take any number of your checkers.

Hitting and the bar

Landing on a point with a single opposing checker hits it: that checker leaves the board and goes to the bar.

A player with a checker on the bar can make no other move. They must bring it back in first; if the entry point is blocked, the turn is lost. That is why leaving a lone checker exposed is risky.

Bearing off

Once all fifteen of your checkers are home you start bearing off — removing checkers with the dice. If you are hit during this stage, the hit checker goes back to the bar and you must bring it all the way home again before you can continue.

Winning, and gammon

The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins. If the loser has borne off none, it counts as a gammon and is worth more in a scored match.

Playing here

Roll, then move a checker either by dragging it to its destination or by clicking it — the legal points are highlighted — and clicking the point. Tap the same checker again to cancel. See Playing games here for finding an opponent and table settings.